A flyer mailed to area voters, paid for by the N.C. Democratic Party, states Rep. Tom Murry and Gov. Pat McCrory worked together to cut $500 million from North Carolina public schools. They are copying this message from ads being run by Harry Reid and the national Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is just another example of weird Washington, D.C. math.
The total education budget in 2010-11 (last budget passed before Thom Tillis assumed the role of House speaker and Murry took office) was $10.8 billion. The total education budget for 2014-15 is $11.8 billion. Give this math problem to a fourth-grade student, and he or she will tell you that this is a $1 billion increase in education funding.
Give this math problem to Reid or the Democratic Party of North Carolina, and they will say it is a $500 million cut. (Even figuring in student population increases and inflation, the $1 billion increase is still an increase, not a cut.) This doesn’t look like a cut to me. I wouldn’t put my trust in candidates who can’t do simple addition and subtraction.
Murry was a member of the team that made sure that every teacher in every classroom will make more money this year than they ever have.
State Rep. Paul Stam
Apex
The writer, a Republican, represents N.C. District 37.
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